Brendan BarkerI totally forgot about Steve Bieser. I remember him being balked home by David Cone in the 8th inning, I think, of the third game between the Mets and the Yankees in '97. We lost it eventually, but he'll always get a special place in my heart for that. I thought he was good.

murphy
May 9, 2001I forgot that was Bieser who was balked home by Cone. Mets ended up losing that game on a single by Tino Martinez in the bottom of the 9th.

Jim
September 20, 2001Yes, it was Steve Bieser who scored on David Cone's balk. But it was earlier in the game, maybe the seventh inning. I believe Cone had a no-hitter through five or six in that game, and he faced Rick Reed. But the Mets bullpen was wasted, so they had to use none other than phenom Juan Acevedo, who made his debut and actually pitched well. But it was Tino whose single won the game, in the bottom of the tenth off John Franco. Damn Yankees.

Gregory Gewirtz
August 2, 2002I never understood why this guy never played more in the majors.

He hit .240 or so with no power, like many backups, but he could play all three OF positions AND catcher, was a lefty batter, and was fast. He wasn't an emergency catcher, like McEwing, but had real minor league experience at catcher, and played a few times there for the Mets, in an Expos series, when Hundley was hurt.

How many lefty-batting backup catchers who can also play an adequate CF, and hit a little bit, are there?

Mr. Sparkle
November 5, 200230 year old rookies don't usually stay around that long. Gotta give him credit for never giving up though.

Joe Figliola
November 8, 2002He was a feisty utility guy. Of course, the events that led to him being balked home in that Yankee are just as memorable as the actual balk itself. I think he faked a break for home two or three times. Someone can help me out on this one, but didn't crybaby Torre argue the call?

The great thing about everyone who played/managed for the Mets has at least one moment he is remembered for. Steve Bieser's baserunning mind games in that Yankee game is one of many great examples.

MetsFan4eva
April 27, 2003Steve Bieser, I thought, was the second coming of Lenny Dysktra. Same build, height (Lenny might have been a tad shorter) and blonder. Well, Bieser's stint in New York was, let's say, short lived.

He was a hard worker and gained popularity until he was sent down and never came back up. I think if he had dived for a few balls, stole more bases and took risks, he could have stayed in the majors a lot longer. Most fans who knew the 1997 Mets didn't have anything to really root for. That Yankee series was our World Series in the days before Piazza. It was great to have a player like Bieser who was a Lenny Dysktra clone to a certain degree.

If he did the aforementioned things he might have been a mainstay here In New York. See, a world of talent in college/High school/and the minor leagues doesn't always ensure you a spot on a major league roster.

Steve's moment in Mets lore is for being the man who balked in a run on a balk by David Cone in 1997. Three or four times he tried to cause balk. He came down the line and was jitterbugging back and forth, and he did it and tied up the score.

JDono18
May 22, 2005All of what's been posted is true, but there's one more thing about Steve Bieser that should be remembered. His career with the Mets began and ended in 1997, which was three years after so many New Yorkers decided that "Now I can die in peace." But there were still plenty of Rangers fans attending Mets games in those days, and Mess and Gretz had just taken them to the conference finals. So, whenever Mr. Bieser would do anything positive (granted, that was relatively rare), he was greeted with chants of "Beezer, Beezer!!"

Total throwaway memory from a throwaway season, but it was fun if you were there.

scott r
December 11, 2008Like everyone else the only memory of Steve is his scoring on balk by Cone against the Yankees.